Shad Gregory Moss, born on March 9, 1987, in Columbus, Ohio, to Teresa Rena (Jones) and Alfonso Preston Moss, began his rap career at the tender age of five, adopting the stage name "Kid Gangsta".
A year later, he stole the show during "The Chronic Tour", catching the attention of the renowned rapper Snoop Dogg, who would later dub him Lil' Bow Wow. Snoop Dogg would go on to hire him as an opening act and introduce him to Jermaine Dupri, the producer who would play a pivotal role in shaping Shad's career.
Shad's double platinum debut album "Beware of The Dog" (2000) was followed by the platinum "Doggy Bag" in 2002. It was during the release of his first album that he publicly adopted his stage name.
Before transitioning to a full-fledged acting career, Shad made guest appearances on TV shows such as "Moesha" and "The Steve Harvey Show". He made his big-screen debut in 2002's "All About The Benjamins", which was swiftly followed by his first starring role in "Like Mike" and a new stage name - Bow Wow.
Throughout his personal life, Shad has been romantically linked to Ciara and, in 2011, publicly acknowledged having a child with an unnamed woman. In 2012, he made headlines when he was publicly ordered to pay child support.
In 2015, Shad became engaged to reality star Erica Mena. The same year, he began starring in the TV show "CSI: Cyber" and currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
